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Drona is great Brahmin acharya (professor) for Pandavas, Kauravas and many other Kshatriyas of that time. He has revenge on Drupada due to insult made by Drupada and hence Dronacharya took revenge on Drupadha.

Chanakya is a famous Brahmin mentor for Chandragupta. He has revenge on Dhana nanda due to insult made by Dhana nanda and hence chanakya took revenge on Dhana nanda.

There are many such famous 'take revenge's' in mythology and in Indian history.

I have doubt regarding this take revenge stories. Is taking revenge for some insult a sin or not?

What if some one excuses other in-spite of getting insult? Is it dharma to take revenge for getting insult?

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  • Yeah killing or harming someone just for the sake of revenge is sin because it is born out of Rajas guna.
    – Yogi
    Mar 15, 2017 at 6:47
  • "because it is born out of Rajas Guna" ??
    – ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ
    Mar 15, 2017 at 8:59
  • Possible duplicate of Are revenge and punishment allowed in hinduism?
    – Say No To Censorship
    Nov 12, 2019 at 2:06
  • @sv. This question came earlier.
    – hanugm
    Nov 12, 2019 at 2:09
  • Yes, I saw that. But I think the other one is written better. It asks about both revenge and punishment so this could be closed as dup./child of the other. You can try to close the other one as dup. of this and see which one gets closed first.
    – Say No To Censorship
    Nov 12, 2019 at 2:15

2 Answers 2

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Taking revenge is at least a bad conduct or unethical as per the Atri Smriti.

If external or spiritual pain is created by others, and one is not offended and does not wreak revenge, it (i.e., the spirit) is called Dama.

Atri Smriti , Chapter 1 , Verse 39

Dama,Daya(mercy),Aspriha(want of desire) etc are the basic ethical conducts or ideal behaviour as per the aforementioned Smriti.

To follow good conduct always and to renounce a bad one, has been described as Mangala by the 'R.ishis well-read in Religious Codes. (36)

And,Dama is mentioned as one of the Mangalas.

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    What you've quoted doesn't support the conclusion that it is bad conduct.
    – DirghaChintayanti
    Mar 15, 2017 at 6:26
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    please read my previous comment again, I agree with saying that what you've quoted says best course of action is indifference but that doesn't automatically imply the conclusion namely whether nature of revenge itself is good or bad.
    – DirghaChintayanti
    Mar 15, 2017 at 6:41
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    @anuvaramban If u happen to read some of the Smriti texts then u will know that they don't get more explicit than this..Its quite clear that its not a recommended or a good conduct.. & we have to take the opposite of it as bad only...but i already admitted that i can't say its a sin ..In any case i will look for more in other Scriptures..
    – Rickross
    Mar 15, 2017 at 10:47
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    @Rickross then how come Drona is called as brahmana even after showing such hatred and rivalry ?
    – Rakesh Joshi
    Mar 15, 2017 at 12:19
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    @RakeshJoshi we have bad brahmin good brahmin..
    – Rickross
    Mar 15, 2017 at 15:51
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The question is:

What if some one excuses other in-spite of getting insult? Is it dharma to take revenge for getting insult?

People in the the other 3 ashramas, ie., brahmacharya, Vanaprastha and Sannyasa are dependent only people in Grihasta ashrama only.

So it boils down to the fact that it rests on Grihastas as to how to guide the people in remaining ashramas and whether to take revenge, if required.

Sri Krishna says in BG

सुखदुःखे समे कृत्वा लाभालाभौ जयाजयौ।

ततो युद्धाय युज्यस्व नैवं पापमवाप्स्यसि।।2.38।।

Treating happiness and sorrow, gain and loss, and conest and defeat with eanimity, then engage in battle. Thus you will not incur sin.

Here, battle does not indicate an act of fighting with arms, but also indicates the day to day activities of the people in Grihasta ashrama.

Dharma is very subtle, and changes from place to place,time to time, custom to custom, etc.- Desa, Kala and Patra.

So while discharging the duty of a particular ashrama, one has to think and decide whether it is one's Dharma at that point of time to react to an act or take revenge, etc.

If it is required, one has to react. If it is according to Dharma, then it is not a SIN.

Sri Krishna told Arjuna to take to war path, as it is the Dharma of a person from Warrior class.

If the people in Grihasta ashrama are not in a position to react/take a decision, people in other ashramas will take the lead.

That was why even after taking Sannyasa, Sri Sankara and Swami Vivekananda led an active life of integrating the country.

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    Chanakya's revenge was not just related to his personal insult but also a goal to form Akhanda Bharata in the face of an adversity like greek invasion by alexander. And Drona was insulted by his friend , he wanted to proove himself equal as drupada that's why Drona gave back drupada half his kingdom.
    – RishX
    May 12, 2021 at 13:11

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